


The Mystery of Potters Bad Mood

by pixiedustatsundown



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Professor Draco Malfoy, Professor Harry Potter, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-22 06:58:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16593062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixiedustatsundown/pseuds/pixiedustatsundown
Summary: Potter was grumpy this morning. Well, he was grumpy every morning. He would get less grumpy as the morning went on until he was almost pleasant by lunch; only almost though. Draco wasn’t sure Potter ever was pleasant. The fact that he could make Draco laugh and they had actually fairly interesting conversations without seriously insulting each other didn’t mean Draco had to like him. But this morning was different.





	The Mystery of Potters Bad Mood

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are very appreciated

Potter was grumpy this morning. Well, he was grumpy every morning. Usually he would get _less_ grumpy as the morning went on until he was _almost_ pleasant by lunch; only almost though. Draco wasn’t sure Potter _ever_ was pleasant. The fact that he could make Draco laugh and they had actually fairly interesting conversations without seriously insulting each other didn’t mean Draco had to like him. No matter he found himself missing the git on days they didn’t spend together. That didn’t happen too often anyway and should therefore have no influence on what Draco thought of Potter. 

They both were part of a new project to improve education at Hogwarts. It was divided into two main parts: curriculum and professors. Currently every subject taught at Hogwarts (and many that might be offered soon) was under revision for which multitudes of experts from all over the world were contacted. It was _huge_ and it wasn’t always easy to find common ground when two completely different views on the same subject clashed together. Another topic for debate was the planned classes on mathematic, Latin and Wizarding culture; the last being planned as counterpart to Muggle studies. The idea was to help muggle born adjust in this new world and even offer volunteering students the opportunity to display what they like in their culture and share it with others. But some very loud people were convinced the class would be used to instil archaic ideas about blood superiority in young minds. Their fear was understandable to a degree; Draco himself grew up listening to his father going on and on about it. But after the war it wasn’t ever spoken about anymore; unless someone made these ridiculous claims. Everybody liked to pretend that everything was _fine_ now and no problems existed. Draco was still sneered at but that was the extent of it, nobody was willing to openly discuss anything clearly so evil. But unless someone very important suddenly changed their mind and had some very persuasive arguments, the class would most likely be offered. 

Reforming professors and their methods was in no way easier. Especially older professors often were stubborn and unwilling to have their teachings dictated by someone else. It was a slow progress costing Headmistress McGonagall countless hours and nerves. Draco was one of the teaching assistants. Basically that meant he had to choose a subject he wanted to teach and, if approved by the current teacher and McGonagall, watch lessons, acquire a deeper understanding of the field, correct essays and be generally prepared to do whatever the professor thought necessary to qualify him. Draco had had a hard time electing only subject, being interested in most of the possibilities. But he had figured he could always learn more about anything he wanted regardless of his chosen profession. So he had finally settled on charms, anxious Flitwick would reject his request. But he didn’t and Draco now spent much of his time in the library, nose in a book and mind on complex charms and theories. He absolutely loved it. 

Potter was TA in DADA, which surprised exactly no one, seeing as he was the Saviour. But that meant that often Potter would be found sitting right next to Draco, nose in his own book. Draco was of course _never_ distracted by his presence and was always able to focus _solely_ on his studies. He most certainly _didn’t_ devote his time to remembering how Potter frowned at the text when he didn’t understand something or watch as he carded his hand distractedly through that mess he called hair. He therefore never had to hastily turn back to his book and pretend to be reading while desperately hoping he wouldn’t start blushing. Which of course he would, every damn time, if he were to stare at Potter. Which he didn’t. 

Recently they were allowed to hold lessons on their own, only discussing the topic with the professor to make sure it fit the curriculum. They didn’t _have to_ team up with other TAs but Draco found that planning lessons with Potter was easier and more fun than doing it alone. They would discuss methods to present the material and explained it to each other to get practise before class. When they could they would also attend each other’s classes and give feedback and encouragement. It was nice. Ignorant onlookers might even think them friends. They would, of course, be wrong, but Draco still enjoyed the company. Nevertheless, he and Potter weren’t friends. They had a purely professional relationship they mutually benefitted from. Draco _didn’t_ care about Potter otherwise. 

Hence Draco also didn’t wonder about Potters bad mood this morning. After all he was always grumpy. Draco merely critically noted much room for improvement in his teaching so he could report to Potter later. Because that was part of their strictly professional relationship. It was essential that he could tell Potter he had been oddly irritable and moody. It actually went beyond grumpy. Wet kneazles were grumpy, Potter was … something else. The students didn’t even dare ask questions anymore after only getting bitten off answers that either sounded condescending or were plain rude. It was obvious Potter didn’t _mean_ to but he was still behaving like a prick. He also frequently got lost in his notes; his table was a mess of lose papers and on the blackboard were jumbled notes not even Draco could understand. And after having worked with Potter for about two years now he was intimately acquainted with his handwriting and bothersome habit of writing wherever there was space without any system. Still Draco couldn’t make out what Potter tried to convey on the blackboard. Right in this moment Potter was again describing different kind of shields; that was the third time today and not any more coherent than the last two. 

What was going on? There was something very obviously seriously wrong. Maybe it had been bad news? But it must have been extremely awful to have him in such a state. It would have to be one of his close friend-as-good-as-family injured and on the verge of death and if that were the case there is no way Potter would still be here. No, it couldn’t be bad news. Maybe he was in the prophet again for some ridiculous reason and Potter was angry. But Draco had read ‘the prophet’ this morning and there was nothing in it that would explain this behaviour. In fact, there was not one article worth reading, which was precisely why he normally didn’t bother with it. Usually his mornings were spent with Potter and he didn’t need to search ‘the prophet’ for entertainment because Potter provided it. Granted the man was absolutely useless without his coffee so he mostly just sat there inhaling caffeine while Draco told him the latest gossip he had heard from the portraits. It was fun enough and Potter was not required to answer so it worked perfectly. But Potter didn’t appear this morning and Draco was left alone. That Potter abandoned him so unceremoniously to his boredom didn’t sting at all however, because they weren’t friends. Potter didn’t have to notify Draco of his whereabouts and it’s not as if they ever actually _planned_ to have breakfast together. They just regularly had and today they hadn’t; no big deal. 

It did mean though, that something must have happened during breakfast. He _did_ arrive almost too late to class as well … Maybe someone needed to discuss something with him and stopped him before he could join Draco at breakfast? But that was ridiculous; everything that was important enough to be discussed this early surely need Potter mentally awake so blocking his way to his caffeine boost – oh. Potter didn’t have any coffee today. That actually made sense and explained so much. He probably slept late and had to hurry to reach class in time. It was so obvious now that he knew what to look for: his hair was messier than usual, his clothes looked rumbled and hastily thrown on and he seemed on the verge of falling asleep. How had Draco _not_ noticed before now? 

Draco resolutely wasn’t relieved that Potter didn’t deliberately leave him alone earlier. Because Draco _didn’t_ care about Potter. Right. And he didn’t want to help Potter dealing with his sleepiness for his sake, but in the interest of giving these students a good education. That would only be possible if their TA was actually awake. Based on that, and _only that_ , Draco decided to get Potter some coffee. He quietly slipped out of the room to ask the house elves in the kitchen for their biggest cup of coffee, on the way trying to convince himself he was annoyed at Potter for letting _Draco_ deal with this. He wasn’t charmed and slightly worried by his inability to take care of himself. 

When he stood back in front of the classroom he still hadn’t fully convinced himself of it but was confident he would be able to deliver the coffee with a suitable annoyed expression to cow Potter and make sure he was aware he owed Draco. Entering the room he strode directly to Potters desk, set the cup down, ignored the disbelieving look he got in thanks and went back to his own seat at the back. 

Potters lesson got much better with the added caffeine. He slowly woke up and Draco thought some students might have learned something today after all. Draco definitely didn’t feel proud at having improved Potters mood, if anything he felt proud of saving today’s lesson. So when the students left muttering and shoving each other Draco professionally accepted Potters thanks. His eyes looked so big and earnest, so impossibly green. Eyes now cast down, Potter was stammering something about liking Draco and maybe drinking coffee outside of school for once? Draco couldn’t really hear him over the sudden rushing in his ears and could only stare at him, disbelieving. Suddenly presented with the chance of dating Potter he found that he would _very much_ like that, he _might_ even have blushed. But Potter took his lack of an answer apparently as an answer in itself and the smile fell of his face. Already missing the smile and hating the disappointment on Potters face Draco rushed to reassure him that he would love that actually. The smile returned much bigger and brighter and Draco was sure he had made the right choice. Something in his stomach fluttered, his blood was still way too loud in his ears and he was most definitely full on blushing now. 

There was no way to deny it anymore: he had a big crush on Harry Potter. And they were going on a date. Draco smiled back.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pixiedustatsundown)


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